Sleep

Melatonin in Blood-Brain Barrier May Protect Against Neurological Disease

According to a new study, melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep and wakefulness, may help prevent neurological disease by maintaining the integrity of the blood brain barrier (BBB). Many forms of neurological disease, including Alzheimer’s and other conditions that affect seniors, begin with damage to the BBB. Researchers have also noted lower levels of melatonin in older adults. The link between melatonin and neurological diseases may help researchers prevent or treat common conditions like Alzheimer’s, ALS, stroke and traumatic brain injury.

What is the Blood Brain Barrier?

The blood brain barrier is a semipermeable barrier around the brain and spinal cord that only allows certain substances through. The BBB is composed of endothelial cells which are found in capillaries in other parts of the body, but the cells in the blood brain barrier are very specialized and tightly packed. The BBB works to protect the brain, but it can create problems in the treatment of brain disorders as medications typically cannot pass the barrier.

Research has found that various stimuli to the BBB can cause disruption, which may lead to neurological disease. In people who have certain brain injuries or neurological diseases, this barrier does not work as it should and allows pathogens and dangerous molecules into the brain.

Neurological Diseases and the BBB

Disruption or damage of the BBB plays an important role in cell damage in neurological diseases. Previous research has found that many neurological diseases have common defects in the blood brain barrier including epilepsy, stroke, multiple sclerosis, ALS and traumatic brain injury. While these conditions all affect the central nervous system in a different way, a study published in the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology found they share defects that can be traced to one set of genes.

The team of researchers found that with these diseases, the dysfunction in the BBB is a major contributor to symptoms and the progression of the disease.

Melatonin and Neurological Diseases: What’s the Link?

A new study published in Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience aimed to identify a treatment to maintain the integrity of the blood brain barrier to potentially prevent neurological diseases.

One of the most common forms of stress on the BBB in the elderly is sepsis, a systemic inflammatory response to infection that can cause neurological problems. Sepsis also causes lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to be released into the blood where it damages the integrity of the
blood brain barrier. LPS can produce neuroinflammation and BBB disruption. It has also been found to increase the permeability of the BBB in vitro.

Melatonin was been found to preserve the integrity of the blood brain barrier in many ways, including inhibiting MMP-9 and NADPH oxidase-2. It has also been found to alleviate BBB damage caused by LPS in elderly mice by activating AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and inhibiting gp91phox. In septic mice, melatonin was able to block the septic response in the body by disrupting neurological connections. Melatonin may also help protect organs from damage caused by sepsis.

It appears that low levels of melatonin in older mice (and humans) may contribute to the disruption of BBB in the face of stimuli like sepsis. In a study published in the Journal of Pineal Research, scientists were able to demonstrate that a short one-week treatment of melatonin was able to significantly reduce LPS-induced damage to the blood brain barrier.

This led researchers to suggest that supplementing with melatonin may reduce the risk of neurological disease in seniors by maintaining the integrity of the blood brain barrier while encouraging more frequent use in the medical field due to melatonin’s low toxicity and high efficacy.

Previous Studies on Melatonin and Brain Health

The ability of melatonin to treat LPS-induced BBB damage is exciting, but this is only the most recent discovery about the function of melatonin in the brain. Melatonin was once considered little more than a sleep aid for occasional sleeplessness, but a number of recent studies have found that it can potentially improve cognitive function and reduce trauma caused by a brain injury.

One study published in the Journal of Pineal Research found that melatonin may offer protection against irreversible brain damage caused by trauma or stroke. Researchers discovered that a 30-day treatment of melatonin 24 hours after an induced stroke improved the survival of brain cells in mice and improved recovery in injured cells. The mice treated with melatonin following a stroke also had a better long-term prognosis in terms of coordination and motor function, two areas that are commonly affected by stroke in humans.

Another important study found that melatonin has favorable effects on the metabolism of amyloid-beta proteins, the hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease. The researchers found that after administering low doses of melatonin for 10 days, it improved cognition and reduced levels of these inflammatory proteins in the brains of animals.

Several other groups have demonstrated this same beneficial effect in experimental models of Alzheimer’s disease to potentially improve cognitive function, inhibition of beta-amyloid deposits, and reduction of anti-oxidative injury.

Research on Vitamins and Sleep Links Vitamins A, B12 and D to Healthy Circadian Rhythm

Jun 24 by Ewcopywriting Leave a Comment

Disordered sleep is a common and growing public health problem affecting 50-70 million people in the United States. While part of this is due to the business of modern life, there also appear to be other factors at play. At the same time, many Americans suffer from vitamin deficiencies due to poor diet and depleted food. Could these two issues be related? New chronobiology research on the link between vitamins and sleep suggest taking a multivitamin may be an important part of maintaining a healthy circadian rhythm.

Vitamin D: How the Sunlight Vitamin Regulates Circadian Rhythm

There has long been a suspected link between vitamin D and sleep, whereas many people who are deficient in this vitamin suffered from fatigue, insomnia and other indications of a circadian disorder. According to new studies, this is due to the role of vitamin D in the transcription of genes related to the circadian rhythm.

It is well known that sunlight is one of the major cues for our sleep-wake cycle. Previous research has shown that this is at least partially due to its effect on our hypothalamus, which cues the release of the sleep hormone in the absence of light cues from the eyes. However, vitamin D also may be part of the way that sunlight regulates the circadian rhythm. Vitamin D is synthesized when the ultraviolet rays of the sun interact with proteins in our skin cells. In turn, this vitamin D activates certain circadian genes. If you are not getting enough vitamin D, your body may be losing one of its ways of determining whether it is day or night and sleep disorders may ensue.

Seeing the Light

When it comes to vitamins and sleep, vitamin A appears to affect the circadian rhythm in a different but just as crucial way. Vitamin A is very important to maintaining good vision. This includes differentiating light from dark. As mentioned before, your eyes’ perception of light is crucial to maintaining appropriate melatonin cycles and thus a healthy sleep-wake cycle. Without the ability to perceive light, your brain may release melatonin throughout the day, making you sleepy and fatigued. It ends up that the cells in your eyes that are responsible for perceiving light levels are especially dependent on vitamin A.

Even if you can see well, the parts of your eyes that perceive light levels, known as rhodopsins, may not be getting enough vitamin A to function correctly. In fact, night blindness and sleep disorders may be the first signs of a deficiency. If you have trouble sleeping, your diet may be a partial cause. This may be the first sign of a vitamin A deficiency that is having less-noticeable negative effects on your health.

B Vitamins and Sleep

B vitamins are well known for contributing to our energy levels. This is partially due to their role as cofactors in metabolic reactions. However, there may be a second reason that you feel tired when you don’t get enough of this broad class of vitamins. Studies have found that people sleep better and have more REM sleep when given B vitamin supplements. We also know that B vitamins are important in the synthesis of hormones related to sleep and circadian rhythm, such as serotonin.

Vitamin B12 appears to have an especially important role in maintaining a healthy circadian rhythm. People who take a vitamin B12 supplement report better sleep and also have higher levels of melatonin metabolites in their urine at night. They also have decreased melatonin levels during the day, suggesting that B12 helps the body to maintain better control over their sleep-wake cycle. Taking a supplement of this vitamin has also been found to help treat jet lag and other common circadian disorders.

Getting the Vitamins You Need for a Healthy Circadian Rhythm

If you are interested in sleeping better—and who isn’t?—getting enough vitamins may be an easy first step. Many people in the West have lower than optimal levels of nutrients, in part due to depleted soil. However, there are many supplements and multivitamins on the market that can help you to get enough of all of the nutrients you need. While it is important to eat a varied diet and to get as many vitamins as possible from your food, many people cannot get enough vitamins without taking a multivitamin. In addition, getting enough sunlight is important to metabolizing vitamin D, as well as to maintaining healthy melatonin levels. If you wear sunscreen and avoid direct sunlight to prevent skin cancer, an additional supplement of vitamin D may be necessary.

Many chronic diseases have been found to be linked to vitamin deficiencies. New research suggests that sleep disorders may also be caused by not getting the nutrients we need. Eating a healthy diet and taking supplements as needed to keep vitamin levels high is one of the most important things you can do to maintain optimal health and a healthy circadian rhythm.

Alarming Link Found Between Insomnia and Heart Disease, Stroke Risk

May 01 by Ewcopywriting Leave a Comment

Millions of Americans suffer from insomnia. This common concern may be affecting our health in a variety of negative ways, according to new research on insomnia and heart disease.

Most of us have suffered from at least a short bout of insomnia: You lay awake in bed for hours, watching the clock as a morning of exhaustion draws ever closer. Other people fall asleep quickly but are awakened so often that they do not feel rested in the morning. Insomnia is a temporary problem for most of us, but for some, it is a daily struggle. Not only does this leave insomniacs fatigued, but it also can increase the chance of developing serious illness. According to new research, there is a link between insomnia and heart attacks, heart disease and stroke.

Insomnia: A Modern Pandemic

Why do modern people struggle to get the sleep they need? For some, anxiety and stress are the root cause. Others may simply be more sensitive to the light pollution around us. Several popular medications can also make it difficult to fall and stay asleep. There are so many reasons to stay awake at night that it is a wonder any of us are sleeping well.

Whatever the reason, insomnia can have huge and negative effects on our lives and our bodies. People who do not get enough sleep are usually fatigued and unable to function optimally the next day. They score more poorly on tests of memory and mental aptitude; they are more likely to have accidents such as motor vehicle collisions. In addition, a lack of sleep means higher levels of inflammation in your body and less cell repair. Over time, this can have serious health effects.

Insomnia and Heart Disease

According to new research, our hearts suffer when we don’t get enough sleep. Heart failure is a disease in which our hearts lose the ability to effectively pump blood through our circulatory system. Almost three-fourths of people with heart failure have a long history of insomnia, suggesting that there is a link. In fact, having insomnia increases our risk of developing heart failure by 300 percent. Insomnia also increases the rate of heart attacks. Women appear to be disproportionately affected by insomnia.

The heart is not the organ that can suffer when people do not get enough sleep. Having insomnia leaves people at a 54 percent increased risk of having a stroke, in which the blood supply to the brain is compromised enough to kill delicate brain tissue. Strokes can have lifelong effects such as paralysis, loss of ability to care for oneself and loss of mental faculties. This increased risk is heightened in young people, who have an eight times greater chance of stroke when they suffer from insomnia.

Why Do We Need Sleep?

Why do people with insomnia suffer from so many negative health effects? They miss out on the restoration that happens when we are dreaming. Our cells perform important “cleanup” work when we are sleeping, getting rid of waste products and repairing the damage from the day. People who do not get enough sleep are not getting enough of this important behind-the-scenes cleanup. Like a house that is not maintained, their bodies slowly fall into disrepair that can compromise the health of the overall structure.

The result is that people who do not get enough sleep have higher levels of inflammation and greater amounts of cytokines and other molecules that cause inflammatory reactions. They do not repair DNA as effectively. Over time, these effects can lead to long-term damage to muscles that make up the heart as well as delicate blood vessels. When these tissues break down, heart disease and stroke are the unfortunate results.

Getting the Sleep You Need for Good Health

These links between insomnia and cardiovascular disease show how important it is to get the right amount of sleep. However, this is a struggle for many people. If you are having trouble falling asleep and staying asleep, consider the following natural treatments for insomnia:

Keep a routine. Go to sleep and wake up at the same time, even on weekends and vacations.
Practice good sleep hygiene. Use your bedroom only for sleep and sex. Consider implementing a night time routine that calms you and prepares your mind to shut down.
Turn down the lights. Lighting, especially the blue lighting from devices, keeps your brain from making hormones such as melatonin that encourage sleep.
Keep a restful sleeping space. Invest in comfortable sheets and pillows. Make sure the decorations in your bedroom are restful and calming to you.
Avoid caffeine, nicotine and other stimulants in the hours before bedtime.
If stress is keeping you awake, practice yoga or meditation an hour before bed to calm your anxiety level.
Consider taking a natural supplement intended to help with occasional sleeplessness, such as melatonin.
Avoid using sleeping pills and antihistamines like diphenhydramine to sleep. These create dependence and also leave you groggy in the morning.

Getting enough sleep can be difficult in the modern world. Lights and stress never go to sleep, so it is hard for our brains to do so. However, it is important to maintain habits that allow you to shut down and get the rest you need to be happy and healthy. Maintaining a stable sleep schedule is one of the most important lifestyle choices that a person can make to encourage whole body health.

The Dangers and Side Effects of Sleeping Pills

Apr 22 by Ewcopywriting Leave a Comment

Do you occasionally have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep? If so, you are part of a silent and growing group. Up to one half of Americans suffer from a sleep concern like insomnia. While there are many sleeping pills on the market, many find that the side effects of these are not worth the temporary fix they offer. However, there is good news. If you have sleep problems and are concerned about the short- and long-term side effects of sleeping pills, there may be natural solutions.

Insomnia: A National Epidemic

Americans of every age occasionally have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep, and many suffer from insomnia and other sleep disorders. Modern life is full of stress and anxiety that can interfere with sleep. In addition, we live in a world very different from that of our ancestors. There is constant light and entertainment, making it difficult to maintain a healthy circadian rhythm. Even children have plenty of worries and distractions to keep them up at night. The result is that up to half of all people suffer from insomnia and even more have occasional difficulty falling asleep, both of which can have negative effects on your health.

There are many pharmaceutical solutions to help with insomnia and other sleep concerns, but these are highly imperfect. Many people are seeking a safe and long term fix for their sleeping woes.

Are They Worth It? Side Effects of Sleeping Pills

There are many downsides to the medications available on the market to help people sleep. Sleeping pills can sedate you and make it difficult to wake up in the morning or in the case of an emergency. Accidental overdose is a very real and worrisome possibility as well. This is especially true for people with respiratory diseases such as asthma. Sleeping pills can be addictive or habit-forming as well. People who use them may find that they work at first, but that the effects become smaller and smaller. People who try them often find themselves taking increasing amounts of sleep medications to get the same or even smaller effects.

Because there are so many side effects of sleeping pills, many people try to use them only as a last resort. The FDA and other regulatory agencies actually recommend avoiding them and have made the guidelines for prescribing these medications stricter than ever before due to the dangers. Unfortunately this can mean living with sleepless nights. Is there a natural answer to occasional difficulty falling asleep and other sleep concerns?

Melatonin: A Natural Answer

Many people have been able to achieve a healthier sleep cycle using melatonin. In some cases, melatonin can be more effective and have fewer side effects than pharmaceutical sleeping pills. This is due to the fact that it is a completely natural hormone that is already made by your brain. When your body winds down at night, melatonin is released by the pineal gland in your brain to help you fall asleep. Many people have difficulty sleeping due to a deficiency of this important hormone.

Because it is a natural hormone, melatonin has very few side effects. The most common one is sleepiness, which is the very reason so many people take it. Overdoses of melatonin are so rare that they are practically unheard of and dependence is extremely rare because it is not addictive.

Getting the Sleep You Need

In addition to supplementing with melatonin, there are several ways that people with insomnia can get the sleep that they need. Consider making a few lifestyle changes proven to help with insomnia such as these:

1. Save the bed for sleep and romance.

People who read, study, pay bills and perform other tasks in bed are less likely to associate it with sleep and thus may have a hard time settling in for the night.

2. Do not go to bed until you are tired.

Lying awake is stressful and may actually make you stay up even longer than waiting until you are ready for sleep.

3. Meditate in the evening.

Meditation calms you down, brings down the blood pressure and quiets your mind. This is especially important for people who have trouble sleeping due to racing thoughts.

4. Go to bed and wake up at the same time.

This includes weekends. If your body gets into a set sleep-wake cycle, it will be likely to keep it. Sleeping in on weekends actually disrupts your circadian rhythm.

5. Turn down the lights an hour before bed.

This includes your phone and other devices. The blue light from these has been statistically proven to contribute to insomnia and keep your brain from releasing the melatonin that you need for good rest.

6. Consider old wives’ remedies.

If chamomile and hot milk helped your grandmother to sleep, they just might help you as well. These old time remedies are often relaxing and nostalgic, helping you to settle in.

Many people do not need sleeping pills, but rather a relaxing sleep schedule and a few natural solutions. These natural remedies are healthy lifestyle choices that will get you to sleep without the many side effects of sleeping pills.

Exposure to Blue Light Could Be Damaging Your Vision

Mar 06 by Ewcopywriting Leave a Comment

Do you spend a lot of time under artificial lights or even just staring at screens? It could be taking a toll on your eye health and vision. New studies have found a link between exposure to blue light and eye damage.

Artificial light is ubiquitous in the modern world. Not only do light bulbs and other artificial lighting sources illuminate indoor and outdoor spaces at all times of day and night, but many people are also exposed to light on computers, smartphones and other devices. This constant exposure to light is a form of pollution—light pollution—that has been found to cause serious health problems and disrupt circadian rhythms. New research on blue light and eye damage suggests that it may be bad for our vision as well.

The Difference Between Natural and Artificial Light

Humans and other living things evolved to live under an endless cycle of sunlight and darkness. Sunlight is mostly made up of white light, which contains all of the visible colors of the light spectrum. This is the reason that light beaming through a prism creates a rainbow. Artificial light, however, tends to be mainly from the blue wavelength of light. As mankind has begun to spend most of our lives indoors and an increasing amount of time in front of devices, we have increased our exposure to blue lights.

How does this change in light wavelength affect our health? According to numerous studies, the increase in exposure to blue light suppresses melatonin production, which in turn can lead to a wide variety of health problems. However, this blue light also may have a negative effect on our eyesight as well.

The Link Between Blue Light and Eye Damage

As we age, the cells in our eyes gradually become damaged and slowly deteriorate. This leads to an increase in sight problems such as macular degeneration, a disorder in which the cells of the retina that are responsible for vision lose their ability to see. Melanin, a pigment that gives our hair and skin color, protects retinal cells from some of this damage. However, we lose melanin as we age, leaving our eyes increasingly prone to damage from light. High energy blue light, the kind emitted by high-efficiency light bulbs and electronic devices, does the most damage to these delicate cells.

People who are exposed to high levels of blue light on a regular basis are more likely to suffer from a variety of vision problems. You have probably noticed that you suffer from eye strain after reading from a screen for an extended period of time. However, this is just the beginning. High exposure to blue light has also been found in several recent studies to increase the risk of macular degeneration, cataracts and other eye diseases. The effects are so great that optometrists now recommend eye protection from blue light as standard preventative eye care.

Protecting Your Vision From Blue Light

There are ways that we can protect our eyesight to support good vision over a long lifetime. Experts recommend wearing sunglasses and hats when we are in bright light, whether this is indoor or outdoor lighting. Limiting screen time is also an important way to protect your eyes. It is especially important to limit exposure to blue light in the hours before sleep so your body can begin to produce and release melatonin. Choose a paperback rather than a tablet or e-reader for your bedtime reading. Use traditional white light bulbs rather than energy efficient LED lighting in rooms where you spend your late evening hours.

It is possible to reduce exposure to high-energy blue light, but eliminating it altogether is not possible for many people. Many people work in environments where blue light in the form of lighting and screens is simply a fact of life. There are special eyeglasses that filter out blue light to reduce strain and damage, but it is also important to address the problem with good nutrition.

Supporting Good Vision From the Inside Out

Because melanin protects your eyes from some of the damaging effects of blue light, oxidative damage to melanin in your retinas is a huge risk factor for eye disease. Supplements that contain certain antioxidant nutrients such as lutein and zeaxanthin have been found to support good eye health by reducing oxidative damage to retinal cells. Taking a multivitamin is also important, as vitamin E and other nutrients act as potent antioxidants throughout our bodies.

Even if you avoid screens and electronic devices, it is difficult to eliminate exposure to blue light and eye damage that may result. Modern offices, stores and even schools are lit with bulbs emitting mainly this wavelength of light. However, common sense lifestyle changes along with supplements supporting good eye health will reduce vision damage for many people who cannot avoid exposure. While some eye damage is natural in aging, we should do everything we can to maintain good vision and whole body health throughout our lifetimes.

Melatonin for Anxiety: Promising New Applications for a Familiar Sleep Supplement

Mar 01 by Ewcopywriting Leave a Comment

Many people all over the world take melatonin to help them sleep. However, new research suggests that some may benefit from taking melatonin for anxiety as well.

Around one in five adults suffer from anxiety. While certain types of therapy and medications such as SSRIs can help, many people struggle to manage their symptoms. The loss of daily function and lack of sleep can severely interfere with the lives of people who suffer from this concern. As a result, many people are on a search for safe, natural remedies that will help manage their anxiety and the often-associated occasional difficulty sleeping once and for all. Several new studies suggest that taking melatonin for anxiety may be the answer many have been looking for.

Deciphering the Underlying Causes of Anxiety

Scientists and doctors do not understand why some people suffer from anxiety on a daily basis while others do not. However, there is a lot that we do know about this condition thanks to a great deal of research. PET scans show that the root cause appears to be an imbalance of certain neurotransmitters such as serotonin and epinephrine. The autonomic nervous system, which controls instincts such as “fight-or-flight” behavior, also appears to play a role. People with anxiety appear to have a smaller temporal lobe volume, reduced numbers of serotonin receptors and increased blood flow in areas of the brain that mediate emotions such as fear. While people once thought that anxiety was a personal weakness, we now know that it can have very real physical causes.

The result is that people with anxiety suffer from excessive panic and fear compared to other people in similar situations. They also have a wide range of physical symptoms such as sweating, tremors, rapid heart beat, dilated pupils and insomnia. The constant presence of anxiety in one’s life can make it difficult to function normally both at work and with loved ones. Doctors currently treat anxiety with therapy as well as a range of pharmaceuticals that quiet physical symptoms and increase serotonin levels. Sedating medications are also a popular treatment as they quiet a mind and body that are on edge.

Melatonin for Anxiety: A Natural Treatment with Potential

Melatonin may be a potential treatment for helping to soothe anxiety, especially anxiety that comes with occasional difficulty falling asleep and other sleep concerns. Melatonin has long been noted to decrease anxious behaviors in research animals, even as far back as 1984. Researchers noted that animals who had higher levels of melatonin showed less of the hallmark behaviors of anxiety while also performing better on tests, making fewer errors. They also slept better at night. Part of this was believed to be due to melatonin’s slightly sedating effect as well as the fact that these lab animals were getting better sleep. After all, sedatives of various kinds are already used successfully in treating anxiety. In addition, melatonin is a hormone that helps us to fall asleep at night and stay asleep, so it is no surprise that we will generally be better rested while taking a melatonin supplement.

However, more recent research suggests that melatonin may have a calming effect on people with anxiety even outside of its sleep benefits. People who take melatonin before and after surgery—times when physiological and psychological stress run high—have less anxiety and also fewer instances of postoperative delirium. This is significant because many anesthetics, such as Propofol, reduce plasma melatonin levels. This may actually be contributing to high levels of anxiety in patients undergoing surgical procedures. This is more significant when you consider that Ramelteon, a drug that increases melatonin, has already been shown to be effective in treating anxiety associated with insomnia.

More Sleep and Less Stress

Anxiety is one of the most common mental afflictions in the world, while occasional difficulty falling asleep also affects millions of people. Could these disorders be somehow linked? Scientists are still studying the connections between difficulty sleeping and anxiety, but the remedies for these two disorders remain very similar. Whether you are suffering from anxiety, occasional difficulty sleeping, or both, cognitive behavioral therapy, lifestyle modifications and increasing melatonin are promising treatments. Whether you increase melatonin levels by taking a melatonin supplement or taking a drug such as Ramelteon, you may find that you are less anxious and more able to handle the stresses of daily life without unpleasant physical symptoms.

Melatonin may help anxiety simply by sedating sufferers, increasing sleep or even by a mechanism that is not yet known. The research is clear that taking melatonin for anxiety appears to help treat many of the symptoms. It is important to talk to your physician before adding any medication or supplement to your regimen, especially if you are already being treated for anxiety or insomnia with pharmaceuticals. However, the evidence behind melatonin indicates that it may have a very beneficial effect for people with a variety of health concerns.